Metal casing for leaf-springs.



L. SKOK.

METAL CASING FOR LEAF SPRINGS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20. I917.

1 ,284,482. Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

A/lf

5 FIG. 5-

. zrzzmwrozz,

-fllf,z mra, WMMM Z5 LAWRENCE SKCK, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

METAL CASING FOR LEAF-SPRINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 20, 1917. Serial No. 208,023.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE SKon, having made application to become a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Metal Casings for Leaf-Springs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a metal casing for laminated springs of a type adapted to closely embrace the spring and extend longitud'inally thereof, to insure lubrication and prevent waste thereof while protecting the spring from dust and dirt. The object of the present invention is to provide a casing which shall be simple in construction, economical of metal of which the casing is made, and capable of being readily applied to the spring.

My invention is hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings. Other objects will become apparent in the description and the essential characteristics hereof are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of my casing applied to laminated springs; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom plan of a portion thereof; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section through the casing; Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the casing as indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a section through the casing as indicated on the line 66 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a transverse section through one of the intermediate elements of the casing; Fig. 8 is a bottom plan of one of the elements removed; Fig. 9 is a similar plan of the binder for the end of the casing, shown in section in Fig. 6; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the securing strip; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional detail of the small end of the spring and casing.

Describing the parts by the use of reference characters, A indicates the long continuous leaf of the spring which may terminate in a horizontal portion at the end of the spring, after the manner of cantaliver springs, or may be provided with the usual eye or head B, indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2 for the reception of a spring bolt. Other leaves of the spring B, C, D, E, and F may terminate at successively longer distances from the small end of the spring in the usual way, thus providing in eflect a tapered curved spring.

The essential feature of the present invention is to inclose the portion of the spring, between the thicker portion where it is secured to an axle or frame member of the vehicle and the small end or eye of the spring, with a single thiclmess of the metal, as far as possible, while still providing substantially oil-tight and dirt proof joints. between the several sections of the casing, which are overlapped and jointed in such a fashion as to allow the flexing of the spring with the least resistance and friction.

To this end I provide a series of sections or elements, designated 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, each embracing 4 sides of the spring. The member 1 is formed of a single piece of thin sheet metal having a portion extending along the upper lamination of the spring, the full width thereof and integral with side members 10, extending across the edges of the laminations and having inwardly turned edge portions bent into a position substantially parallel with the lower leaf A of the spring, and provided with outwardly turned flanges 12. The member 2 is similarly constructed having sides 10, extending across the edges of the spring leaves and turned inwardly at 11 into substantially parallel relation with the leaf and also provided with separated outwardly turned flanges 12, as just described. Section 2 is so arranged that it may project into the adjacent end of the member 1 and closely fit the same.

I prefer to provide a means tending to hold the sections from longitudinal separation by forming in the member 1, an outward dent or cavity 14 adapted to receive a corresponding hump 15 on the member 2. Each of the sections is fashioned similarly to the section 2 described except the last sec tion which is provided with no fastening hump into which the next member may spring. Each of the sections is cut so that when bent into position and placed over the spring, it may embrace the same closely and conform to its taper.

As a suitable flexible means for securing the sections into position, I have shown a band or strip 20 having inwardly turned flanges 22 embracing the flanges 12 of all of the sections and extending continuously along the under side of the spring. -The flanges 12 form in efi'ect integral extensions Patented Nov. 12, 1918. i

of the portions 11 of each section, and are bent abruptly outwardly and back upon themselves. To permit the telescoping of one section into the next adjacent section, the flanges are made somewhat shorter than the body section, as illustrated in Figs. l and 8. The flanges are separated a sutlicient distance from the surface of the portions ll so that the flanges 22 of the strip '20 may be readily thrust into engagement with the flanges 12 of the successive sections, even though the telescoping tends to bring the flanges l2 slightly out of longitudinal alinement by reason of the thickness of the metal of the portions 11, as is clearly apparent from the section, Fig. 4.

The end section 1 may be secured tightly around the spring by a suitable U-shaped clamp 30 having a bolt 31 extending through ends overhanging the lower side of the spring. At 35 is a similar U-shaped clamp having its bolt 36 extending through the overhanging ends of the clamp and tightly fitting against the strip 20 in such a fashion that it may serve the usual purpose of preventing a separation of the leaves, thus preventing too great a strain on the casing sections. To bind the end section 8 closely about the spring and avoid a cumbersome unsightly binder, I prefer to use a band substantially of the same material as the metal of the several sections. Such a band is illustrated at as an intermediate section lying across the top portion of the section 8 and extends closely across the sides of the portion and is bent into close engagement with the bottom or lower sides of the section 8, the flanges 1:2 of the section being removed at this point, whereby flanges 26 on this section may engage the flanges 22 of the strip 520.

I prefer to assemble this spring by bending the sections into substantially the shape illustrated in Fig. 7 with the lower parts 11 in position shown in broken lines so that the sections may be readily sprung over the spring and thus assembled one by one, bending the flaps ll inwardly and securing them by advancing the strip 20 longitudinally to engage the flanges 12 of each section. as it is applied. A strip lO, substantially the width of the spring, may extend along the under side of the spring, if desired, while a similar strip, indicated at (Fig. may extend along the upper part of the spring, thus insuring the closing of the joints. While either or both of these strips may be omitted, the upper strip 42 is particularly desirable, in that it bridges across and overlaps shoulders formed by the successively shorter ends of the laminations A, B, C, D, E and F.

lVhen the spring is assembled I may provide one of the sections, as at 3, with a suitable lubricant cup indicated at +5, threaded or soldered into a boss formed on this section at 4:6 and registering with a corresponding messes opening in the strip 42 so that lubricant may be led into immediate contact with the spring and may tind its way throughout the length ol this casing and into the spring between the laminations. To prevent the escape of hibricant, particularly when a fluid lubrican't is used, it is only necessary to make the il -clamp 30 and the bolt Bl form a substantial y tight joint which 1 may insure providing a packing of cloth or any other material under this clamp. To prevent the escape of lubricant and the entrance of dirt at the smaller end of the casing, l may provide under the band 25 a packing indicated at 48 of several layers of cloth or other suitable material.

In order that the bumps and recesses, which prevent the several sections of the casmg trom shifting longitudinally and telescoping one on the other, allowing free fienlng of the spring, I prefer to provide the raised recesses 14: somewhat larger in. area than the humps or projections 15. lhus, as the spring flexes, a slight longitudinal movement between them may occur, the projections 15 sliding within the recesses 1t and allowing the shifting between the sections while still preventing one sliding entirely over the other and thus separating from the next adjacent section. It will be seen that consequent upon the flexing of the spring a sliding overlapping movement may occur at the upper portions of the sections, while the overlapping portions at the bottom may also slide one into the other allowing the required movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

casing for laminated springs comprising a plurality of sections made of thin sheet metal bent around the spring, the lateral edges of the sections being provided with flanges, and a flexible strip having coacting flanges extending longitudinally of the spring.

2. A casing for laminated springs comprising a plurality of sections made of thin sheet metal bent around the spring and having their lateral edges provided with flanges, a flexible strip having coacting flanges extending longitudinally of the spring, and means for preventing longitudinal displacement of the sections.

3. A casing for laminated springs comprising a plurality of sections made of thin sheet metal and comparatively short with relation to the length of the spring, said sections extending around the spring and having edges slightly separated at one side of the spri and provided with securing means, a sheetmetal member extending longitudinally of the spring and coacting with said securing means to hold the sections closely embracing the spring, and coacting depressions and projections on each section for preventing longitudinal displacement of the sections.

4. A casing' for laminated springs comprising a plurality of sections made of thin sheet metal, extending around the spring,

an outward depression on one section and a projection on the adjacent section coacting therewith for preventing longitudinal displacement, the depression 'being of such size as to permit limited longitudinal movement consequent upon the flexing movement of the sprin 5. g casing for flexible metal springs comprising a plurality of short sections, embracing four sides of the spring and each section, save one, overlapping the next section in the series, on all sides of the spring, means for holdin the sections in embracing position and orming with the sections a closed tube, and means for preventing longitudinal displacement while allowing the relative flexing movement at the overlapping portions consequent upon the movement of the spring.

6. A casing for flexible laminated springs consisting of a plurality of sections arranged end to end and overlapping and having outwardly turned flanges extending longitudinally of the spring, the flanges on the several sections being in substantial alinement,

and a member extending along the spring and engaging said flanges.

7. A casing for laminated springs consisting of a series of comparatively short sections extending around three sides of the spring and with the edges thereof extending toward each other at the fourth side and provided with outwardly curved flanges, the

' flanges of the sections being in substantially longitudinal alinement, a flexible metal strip extending along the spring and having inwardly turned flanges engaging the flanges on said. sections.

8. A casing for laminated springs consisting of a plurality of sections extending around and embracing four sides of the spring and having means securing them in their embracing positions, means holding one end section in close engagement with the spring, a short annulus of packing between the spring and the other end section, and means for injecting lubricant into the casing.

9. A metal casing for laminated springs consisting of a strip substantially the width of the spring and lying along the spring at one side thereof, a plurality of sections of sheet metal, each section embracing four sides of the spring and said strip, means for holding the sections in position, means fOPQGO making a lubricant tight joint at each end'of the casing and the spring, and means for inj ecting lubricant into the casing through one of said, sections and through said strip.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

LAWRENCE, SKOK. 

